As the short winter days plod along, it’s best to remember that our skin is perhaps the most important organ of all. Proper care of our skin is paramount to continued health. Here are a few proven ways to ensure our skin stays vibrant, gorgeous and healthy in the most assaulting of seasons.

Avoid Hot Showers

One of the great joys in life, especially after a hard-fought battle through the day’s bitter cold, is hopping into a steamy shower to wash away the workday. Beware, though, as the nearly scalding hot water jettisoning from the showerhead can strip away the precious oils our skin secretes naturally. 

 Instead, we should take lukewarm showers and baths through the winter months to help keep our skin’s natural moisture locked in. If skin is dry and itchy following bath time, reduce the water’s heat and be sure to use natural skin care protectant in conjunction with exposure to a cool-mist humidifier to return the supple moisture back to the skin.  

Screen Away the Sun

Okay, so perhaps it’s not the most instinctive thing to do, slathering on sunscreen during the winter, but the sun is no joke even during brutal, snow-filled days. Harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays still manage to cut through the densest of clouds and can exponentially increase our risk of skin cancer.

 Dr. Jonathan Zager, a cutaneous oncologist with Moffitt Cancer Center, in Florida, recommends choosing a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or above.

Scrub, Scrub, Scrub!

It’s generally known that our skin reproduces itself every 30 days. If we fail to exfoliate properly during this time, dead skin cells can act as a barrier, repelling any kind of natural moisturizer or treatment we apply to the surface.

 Instead of trying our luck on a number of nonorganic products lining pharmacy and supermarket shelves, we can create our own exfoliant with a basic sugar recipe. Compose a natural and simple sugar scrub by combining a ½ cup of cane or brown sugar with a small amount of organic oil like safflower or peanut. Massage the two together to create a pasty consistency. Also, for better results, try tossing in a few organic, healthy doses of oatmeal, yogurt, and a vitamin E or vitamin D oil. Clary sage and rosemary oils are high in antioxidants, and can also help stave off wrinkles as well as dryness and irritation. It’s important to experiment with a few different variations of the sugar recipe to see what works best with one’s unique skin type. 

 By completing this exfoliating routine with the previous two tips, we will be well on our way to spring with healthy, fresh, glowing skin that will last year-round. 

 Dariel Figueroa is a writer and content strategist whose words have appeared in Uproxx, Paste and FanSided. He’s a proud father of two tiny humans who bring him more joy and cuteness than he can stand.